CHERRIES’ young defender Zeno Ibsen Rossi has reflected on his time spent on loan at Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock admitting: “I really enjoyed that side of the game, pushing for a first team spot.”

The 20-year-old academy product made his first competitive appearance for Cherries when he partnered skipper Lloyd Kelly in central defence to a shutout, in the 5-0 League Cup win over MK Dons.

But his first senior professional minutes had already come north of the border, where he played 16 matches in the top-flight – as well as four more cup appearances throughout the 2020-21 season.

Featuring mostly in his standard centre-back position, Kilmarnock also made use of the youngster on the right of defence on a handful of occasions.

It was a bitter taste of disappointment at the end of a crucial development spell for the Streatham-born youngster, though, after Killie suffered relegation at the hands of Championship outfit Dundee in the promotion play-off.

Despite this, Ibsen Rossi has come back and looked a composed option for head coach Scott Parker’s squad, while the youngster himself looks fondly back at his time in Scotland.

He told the Daily Echo: “It was a good experience, my first loan and first senior season. I really enjoyed that side of the game, pushing for a first team spot so yeah it was really good.

“I still consider myself a young player, at this stage I just want to be playing games.”

Asked if he’d consider another temporary spell at a loan club, he responded: “I need to focus on where I’m at, at the moment, and if it comes to that I’m sure it will be something we discuss at that point.

“But for now, I’m just focussing on my game day by day here.”

Ibsen Rossi took advantage of injuries to the likes of Steve Cook and Chris Mepham’s suspension to get his first competitive opportunity, but had impressed during the Cherries’ pre-season camp in Marbella.

It was the first chance for the new youngster to become integrated with the first team squad, of which he now feels very much part of, and insisted it was an experience he really enjoyed.

The substitute benches Parker has named in the opening fixtures have both been extremely inexperienced with a young average age, but everyone called upon has done their bit with Ibsen Rossi saying the addition of midfielder Emiliano Marcondes has been key.

He added: “Emiliano has settled in really well, he’s getting on well with the players, even talking a lot to the young lads like myself which is nice. He will be a great addition to the team.

“I loved it (pre-season), it was really tough work but still enjoyed it. It was a great place to be, the training facilities etc were great.

“And it’s just time spent together bonding with the team, spending so much time together day in day out inevitably you’re going to bond.”